STEWART
By William Moore
Daily Journal
TUPELO – Tupelo police have charged a Monroe County man in connection with a Wednesday night shooting at the Cooper Tire manufacturing plant in Tupelo.
Tyson O’Neal Stewart, 27, of 708 Short Street, Aberdeen, was found on the perimeter of the South Green Street plant shortly after the shooting. He was taken into custody and booked into the Lee County Adult Jail, charged with aggravated assault.
Stewart is expected to appear before a judge Thursday to have bond set.
Tupelo Police Chief Bart Aguirre said officers responded to a shots fired call around 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 19. He said the victim had been shot multiple times, but Aguirre would not comment on how many times or where the unnamed man was shot.
The victim remains in stable condition at the North Mississippi Medical Center.
Preliminary information released by the police department states the suspect and victim both worked together and were involved in some type of ongoing dispute.
“Witnesses are cooperating with detectives as the investigation continues,” said Tupelo police spokesman Capt. Chuck McDougald. “At this time no further suspects are being sought.”
According to a statement from the Findlay, Ohio-based tire manufacturer, the victim and the shooter were temporary employees.
“Cooper Tire takes the safety and well-being of employees and all of those working in our facilities very seriously,” said Anne L. Roman, Cooper Tires vice president of communications and public affairs. “We can confirm that two employees of an on-site contractor firm working at our plant were involved in a shooting incident last evening.”
While the shooting and crime scene investigation did disrupt manufacturing Wednesday night, the plant remains in operation, Roman said.
The shooting took place inside the plant and numerous shots were fired.
“No weapon has been recovered yet, but we found six or more shell casings at the scene,” said Aguirre, who did not release the caliber of the recovered shell casings.
william.moore@journalinc.com